Underground support



Dec. 13, 1927. 1,652,415

J. SCHENKER Y UNDERGROUND SUPPORT Filed Dec. 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 [71 van 23 02 JOJEPh'JCHE/v/rE/F 6 M Min/ 47-7'oR/VEKS' Dec; 13, 1927. 1,652,415

J. SCHENKER UNDERGROUND SUPPORT Filed Dec, 26, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II/IIIIIIIIIIII I [wen L102 fom fi Jam/r5? firromxwrs Patentea Dec. 13, 1927.

" ST T S JOSEPH scn'nNKnn, or mnammms, MINnnsorA.

Unnnnenonnn surr'on r.

Application filed December 26, 1924 Serial No. 758,189.

This invention relates to new and useful. improvements in underground supports adapted to support upright members, such for instance, as the uprightsof a sign-board; of the general form shown-in my prior patent, filed January 8, 1923', Patent No. 1,511,- i29., The form of signrboard featured in the above-inentioned-patent, is of the type con'i'monly erected along public highways, railroad rights-o f-wayfeto, which usually are of considerable size and, therefore, must have a very substantial foundation inorder to resist'the' strains ofihigh' wind'pressures directed against the sigmb oard. I

The novel underground support disclosed in this" invention i'spreferably' of the allmetal type, and is particularly designed for use" to support the'uprights of such a sign= board, an underground support preferably being employedfor'eachupright ofthe signboard. each upright, the sign-board may be. erected in units or sections to provide a structure having one or more panels, as desires, dependent upon' the amount of display surface required; Such sign-boards are often erect ed in. agricultural districts along highways and it is, therefore, desirable that no diagonal braces be employed above theiground level to'support the sign-board against wind pressures,fall such bracing-preferably being provided beneath the earths surface; Owing' to the very high wind pressures to which such sign-boards are often subjected-,- the underground supporting means must be very substantial and'rugged in order to prevent the sign-board. from being blown down, or,

to an inclinedposition as a result of: such wind pressures. I

The primary object of this invention is particularly directed to the provision of an underground supporting means for uprights, such for instance, as mayfbeemployed to support a sign-board,- and its construction is such that it will retain its normal upright supporting position regardless of wind pressures,directed against the surface of the supported membnthereby providing an underground supporting means which will retain the supporting member substantially *in an upright vertical position.

. The ob'ect thereforefof' the invention is to provide an improved underground sup'-' display surface of the By thus employing a support for port for uprights particularly adapted to support a sign-board. i

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and the ac companying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims} 1 In the drawings there'has beendisclosed a structure designed'to carry out the objects of the invention but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown-as various changes may be'made within the scope ofthe claims which follow.

vInthedrawings: Figural is aview showing underground I supporting means as used to support the uprights of asi'gn-board;

the improve d Figure 2' is 'an enlarged view in perspec- 'tive, showing the u iderground supporting means: and" particularly the thrust members oppos tely arranged on the -structure;

Figure 3 is'fan enlarged detailed sectional View of- 'thel upper central portion of the supporting means sh'own in Figure 2; j Figure 4 1s a" View snn'ilar to Figure 2 showing a modified construction 'having a socket to demou'ntably receive the upright supportingmember; i "Figure 5 is afragmentary detailed view showing another method" of demountably securing the upright sup-porting posts of a sign-board toth'e underground supporting means; M

V Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view on the line 6'"6 of Figure 5'; and

, Figure 'T is a similar View showing a modified socket construction.

' Inthe' selected embodiment oft-he invention here shown, for purposes ofdisclosure, there is illustrated in- Figure l, a skeleton frame structure of a sign-board comprising the upright posts 11 which 'are preferably 2 and 3., The upper and lower horizontal rails-12 and 18 are preferably interposed between the uprightposts 11 and have their ends" suitably secured ther'-eto;j Intermediate-upright members 14 areprovidedbetween the upperand lower horlzontal' frame members 12, and 13' to retainsuch members in of I- bea-I-n [cross section, as shown in Figures 13 while the upper ends of the braces are similarly secured to the intermediate up right members 14 and to the upper horizontal rails 12, thereby providing a very rugged and substantial f'ame structure, comparatively light in weight. The frame structure above-described, and as shown in Figure 1, is arranged for two panels. Obviously, itmay be constructed of any number of such panels or sections, or, if' desired, a single Section may be used dependent upon the amount of display surface required for advertising purposes.

An important feature of this invention resides in the novel means provided for supporting the sign-board in an iu uight posit-ion regardless of wind pressures directed against thc'surl'ace of the signboard. As shown in Figure 2, such means preferably consists of a rectangular frame structure conuu'ising the upper spaced parallel beams 16, preferably U-shaped in construction, and the lower rails 17 which preferably are of angle iron cross sections. The opposite ends of the U-shaped beams 16 and the base rails 17 are rigidly connected together by means of upright channel bar posts 18 preferably by means of rivets 19. U-shaped brackets 21 are interposed between the U-shaped beams 16 to provide a seat therebetween for the upright post 11 of the sign-board. Similar brackets 22 are likewise interposed between the base rails 17 to provide a similar seat therebetween for the lower end of thepost 11 when positioned therein, as shown in Figure 2. The brackets 21 and 22 are preferably located midway between the terminals of the beams 16 and rail 17 thereby providing a symmetrical frame structure. Diagonal braces 23 are preferably provided on each side of the post 11 and have their upper ends secured to the beams 16 adjacent the brackets 21, and the lower ends suitably secured to the base rails 17 adjacent the upright posts 18, clearly shown in Figure 2. The u n'ight post 11 may be secured to the supporting frame above described by suehmeans as the bolts 24, shown in Fig ure 3. a a The outstanding feature of this invention resides in the novel means provided for preventing the supporting frame from changing its upright sign-board supporting position when the sign-board is subjected to high wind pressures. Such means preferably consists in the provision of a thrust member 25 on each end of the supporting frame substantially in alinement with the upper U-shaped beams 16 thereof. As shown in Figure 2, these thrust members are preferably U-shaped in cross section and are ofsuitable length and size to provide suiiicient surface to positively prevent the supporting frame from being moved edgewise when embedded in the earth, as shown in Figure 1.

hen erecting the sign-board, the supporting frame will be positioned beneath the ground level as shown in Figure 1, and the earth will be securely tamped or packed around the frame and particularly against the opposed faces of the two thrust, members. Thus, when the broad side of the signboard is subjected to a high wind, one of the thrust members 25 will be forced against the earth and as a result of its increased area it will positively prevent the upper frame beams 16 from being longitudinally moved beneath the surface of the ground. Thus, by the provision of this novel sign-board supporting means, it will be unnecessary to provide braces above the ground level to support the sign-board against high wind pressures. The sign-board. and il'ssupporting frame arc preferably construclml. of rust proof material, thereby providing a structure which will. be very tlttill'tlllltl and apable of long srrvice.

Figure at shows a sign-board supporting frame of modified construction wherein a socket is provided for del'nountably receiving the upright supporting post 11 of the sign-board. As here shown, the socket is preferably formed by means of two U shaped members 26 centrally arranged with their flanges adjacent each other between the ll-shaped beams 16 and base rails 17. The upper ends of these socket members are preferably secured to the beam 16 by means of rivets 27 while their lower ends are siinilarly secured to the base rails 17 by rivets 28, and the angular clips 29, also riveted thereto and to the base rails. socket type of supporting frame is employed, as shown in Figure 4;, the upright post 11 of the sign-board will preferably be provided with the stop members 31 whichare adapted to engage the upper faces of the beam 16 and the socket members 26, and thereby limit the downward movement of the post. By the use of this novel form of supporting frame, the upright post may readily be removed from its supporting means for repairs or other purposes. i i y i in Figure 5, there is shown another modilied form of supporting frame adapted to demountably receive the upright post 11 of i the sign-board. As here shown, and particularly in Figure 6, in place of the socket shown in Figure 4;, a guideway is provided by means of theopposed angle bars 32 which are similarly nmuntedbetwcen the beams 16 and the base rails 17 and are secured thereto.

Figure 7 shows another modification wherein the ai'lgle bars 33, providing the guideway for the upright post 1.1, are arranged in reversed relation to that shown in Figure 6. Having thus described my invention, what When the i I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent, is:

1. In combination, a pair of anchoring frames earth-embedded, and arranged in spaced relation and having faces of greatest area substantially parallel, each frame having horizontally disposed anchoring irons,"

one at the upper end of each vertical end face, crosswise thereof and projecting laterally at opposite sides of saidface, and a sign frame having spaced posts, a post soclreted one in each frame, said anchoring irons being substantially parallel with those faces of the sign frame of greatest area.

2. In combination, a pair of narrow anchoring frames earth-embedded, and arranged in spaced relation and having their faces of greatest area substantially parallel, each frame having a vertically disposed socket and each having horizontally disposed anchoring irons, one at the upper end of each vertically end face, and projecting laterally at opposite sides of said face, and a sign frame having spaced posts, a post engaged-in each frame socket, said irons beingperpendicular to the faces of greatest area of the frames. 7

3. In combination, a pair of frames, ar ranged in spaced relation, with their faces ofegreatestarea substantially parallel, each frame having horizontally disposed projecting anchoring irons, one at the upper end of each end face, and a sign frame having spaced posts, a post secured to each frame,

when the post is in substantially vertical position. 5. A device of the class described comprising superposed pairs'of horizontal irons connected in spaced relation by vertically disposed end irons all to form a frame structure, a post secured between the pairs of horizontal irons parallel with the end irons, and channel irons as anchors secured at the top and outer side of the vertical connecting end irons, horizontally crosswise thereof, and

substantially at right angles to a plane parallel with the frame. 7

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this sides of greatest area of the JOSEPH SCHENKEH.

22nd day of December 192%.

40' zontally when the. frame is operative, and 

